[Shotimes] Front Right Clunk with lots of diagnosis

[Eric Wieland]

Last night when I changed the oil and the ECT sensor, I again went over the
whole RF suspension.  I check for play in the wheel bearing and found none
by hand.  I also checked the ball joint.  There was a small gap at the point
bolt so I believe the spindle and ball joint stud have a good connection.  I
read else where to use a pry bar to see if I could separate the spindle from
the ball joint, but I did not have my pry bar handy so I need to do this
sometime soon.  

Thanks,

Eric

 

  _____  

From: Terrygranit@aol.com [mailto:Terrygranit@aol.com] 
Sent: Monday, January 30, 2006 5:15 AM
To: ewieland@mchsi.com; shotimes@autox.team.net; TechSHO@topica.com
Subject: Re: [Shotimes] Front Right Clunk with lots of diagnosis

 

check to see if ball joint pinch bolt may have been over tightened,resulting
in stretched out receiver of ball joint stud.this creates excessive play for
ball joint stud.this is easy to see,look for small gap at pinch bolt,if
there is no gap it doesn't matter how tight you make pinch bolt,both sides
of gap only pinch against each other. please respond to let me know if this
was problem,if so I know just how hard this can be to pin down.

 

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The place to start is what did you do to the suspension when you changed the
rod berings and did the other maintenance stuff?  I could be wrong but
something you did has a cause and effect and the effect is the clunk.  

 

Bill Strobel

Fayetteville, NC

1992 Ex-Police Unit White/Gray Cloth

1993 MTX White/Blk Leather All Stock!

1995 Taurus GL Wagon Deep Emerald Green/Mocha The World's Largest SHO
Library Over 75 ft.

of Ford Manuals & Related Factory Literature Pertaining to the 1989-1999
Taurus SHO Eric Wieland wrote:

> 

> In November, I took my 93 ATX SHO off the road to do rod bearings and 

> several other maintenance items. The SHO did not clunk prior to me 

> taken it off the road and tearing it apart.

> 

> I now have a definite clunk from the front right side of the when 

> turning right.  I have performed repeated teardown inspections of the 

> right front suspension and found nothing that raises a flag.  I can 

> definitely feel movement through the steering wheel and the steering 

> wheel is not always square even though the car tracks straight.  

> Almost like a moving alignment which goes back to something being 

> loose up front.

> 

> The parts that I worked on/replaced that relates to this issue are: 

> 

> 1. New aluminum subframe bushings (old stock ones were shot) 2. F and 

> R ATX re-enforced motor mounts (old stock ones were shot) 3. I also 

> took a different ATX subframe from another car and had it bead blasted 

> and painted with POR-15.

> 4. I replaced both A arms and strut rods with Moog units 5. I also 

> used TPR bushings everywhere.

> 6. I used a Moog problem solver kit to replace both strut rod mounts 

> on the subframe since the welds on mine were broken (very common) 

> http://www.federal-mogul.com/fmeconnect/technicalservices/downloads/20

> 77.pdf

> 

> 

> 7. I also replaced both inner and other tie rods with Moog units. 

> 8. Installed 24mm sway bar with new TPR bushings 9. Installed 

> composite sway bar links 10. I have checked the torque on the subframe 

> bolts on multiple occasions

> 

> I wish that I could observe the suspension while the car is moving to 

> see and feel what could be making this disconcerting sound. There are 

> times when it does not clunk and others when it feels like it is 

> falling apart.

> 

> I had the front right wheel bearing replaced right after a winter run 

> with the Texas guys in 2003. I have had the SHO aligned twice after my 

> reassemble and the shop (knows SHO's well) can not find any issues 

> either.

> 

> Please help me start in a direction.  I am think that it is either the 

> spindle lifting off the ball joint (read elsewhere about this 

> happening) or that something is not right with the front right strut 

> assembly (I did not tear the strut assemble apart, but I wonder if it 

> somehow go screwed up in the process).  The struts are Tockio and the 

> springs are Eibach with less than 20,000 with police mounts. How do I 

> check the strut/spring assembly again?

> 

> Thank you,

> Eric